1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of artificial joints and, in particular, to apparatus for affixing such joints to bone.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In PCT publication number WO 85/03426 entitled "Apparatus for Affixing a Prosthesis to Bone," various sleeves for affixing artificial joints to bone are described having the following characteristics: (1) the outer surface of the sleeve is contoured so as to mate with the inner surface of the patient's hard bone; and (2) the outer surface of the sleeve comprises a plurality of spaced, outwardly extending shoulders, the purpose of which is to transfer stresses from the prosthesis to the hard bone in a manner similar to that in which stresses are transferred from soft bone to hard bone.
The present invention is directed to improving the utility of the sleeves disclosed in the foregoing PCT publication. While it is possible to provide sleeves of the type disclosed in the PCT publication which approximate the hard bone contours of individual patients, sleeves of this type do not have a regular geometric shape, and therefore surgeons have found it difficult to prepare patient's bones for receiving such sleeves using standard, or even special, surgical tools for cutting and reaming bone.